Wellshire Inn's Roasted Beet Risotto

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare beets by cutting off stems and roots, then clean well and pat dry.

Lightly coat each beet in olive oil and wrap each individually in foil, like you would to bake a potato.

Roast the beets for up to 2 hours (test with fork in 1 1/2 hours) until cooked through. When done, allow beets to cool still covered in foil.

When cool, unwrap and peel beets, then dice small into 1/4-inch cubes. Place half of the cubed beets in a blender with 1 cup of the chicken broth and puree till smooth.

Set beet puree aside, set aside beet cubes in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

Spray a large, heavy saute pan with nonstick cooking spray, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and heat over medium burner.

Place remaining chicken broth in a saucepan with a handle for pouring. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer.

Chop onion into small pieces and add to the hot saute pan, saute until translucent. Add the rice, toast, stirring constantly, for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add half the pan of simmering stock and the white wine to the rice and continue to stir until the liquid is nearly absorbed.

Continue to add small amounts of hot broth - stirring rice until it absorbs the liquid - until the broth is gone (process takes about 20 to 30 minutes).

Taste rice, it should be al dente (chewy but not crunchy). If rice isn't done yet, simmer about 2 cups of water in a pot and add it in small amounts like you did with the broth, making sure to taste rice for doneness each time the liquid is absorbed (may take another 5 to 10 minutes).

When rice is cooked, turn down heat under saute pan. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the beet puree and the cubed beets.

Add the Parmesan and stir until cheese melts. Stir in pepper and salt to taste, serve.